CHANDIGARH (THE STELLAR NEWS): Tightening the screws against attempts to indulge in bogus paddy procurement, the Food & Civil Supplies department on Saturday raided the premises of Bhagwati Rice and General Mill, Mansa and recovered 3600 bags of loose unauthorised paddy from the rice mill.
There was an unexpected rise in figures of paddy procurement in certain mandis of Mansa and Amritsar particularly Jandiala Guru following which orders were issued to the concerned officers to keep a tab over any unscrouplous element indulging in illegal activity, the Food and Supplies Minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu said here adding that an FIR has already been filed against the errant rice miller of Bhagwati Rice and General Mills of Mansa.
Similarly, around 150 MT unauthorised paddy has been seized from Jangeer Open Plinth Bareta Mansa, following which an FIR has been lodged. No attempt to vitiate the procurement process would be tolerated at any cost, the Minister further said sounding a warning to anyone involved in this nefarious activity aimed at hoodwinking the system by inflicting the exchequer.
The Minister has ordered a vigilance probe to ascertain any wrongdoing in recording undue paddy purchase at mandi Jandiala Guru in Amritsar. I have asked the department to thoroughly probe the matter to act against any such bogus purchase attempt in the ongoing season at these mandis, the Minister added. The connivance of government officials is being probed to connect the linkages and reach to the bottom of this conspiracy, a spokesperson added.
